Turn Around
by PriestessOfNox
Summary: Inspired by a conversation with Lantherien. Winter is coming and travel between Smurf Village and the Troll Tree will be all but impossible. What will Hefty and Branch do?


Turn Around

From the very start Hefty and Branch argued constantly. Poppy liked to say that they argued like an old married couple before they even admitted that they liked each other, let alone started dating.

Usually those arguments weren't all that serious though. More like playful banter. Making fun of the other's ears or obvious obsessions. Teasing each other about their food or drink of choice that the other found nasty.

This wasn't one of those fights.

It was fall and soon it would be the first winter since Hefty and Branch became a couple. Travel between Smurf Village and the Troll Tree would be hard and unadvised considering snow would make tracking anyone traveling either more much easier.

The choices were either not see each other all winter long or one stays at the other home for the winter. And, of course, each one wanted the other to stay at their home.

Discussion over the matter started casually enough, each bringing up their own points over the span of a few days but the discussion started to turn into snapping and tense situations. Branch had never spent so much time being pale blue since the relationship started but both were stubborn and refused to budge.

Unfortunately, the conversation started up again while they were out in public, having a picnic with Poppy, Smurfette and Creek. Creek joked that he was always the odd Troll out and maybe he should find a Smurf for himself.

"Though this would be a bad time to start a relationship, seeing as winter is coming," Creek's comment was innocent enough but it got the ball rolling.

"Smurfette, what are you and Poppy going to do this winter?" asked Hefty.

"Don't drag them into this," said Branch, "Their situation is different."

Hefty frowned, "How so?"

"Poppy is a princess, she literally can't spend the winter away from the Troll Tree," pointed out Branch, "Sometimes, her leaving for a week makes things chaotic enough."

Humming, Poppy nodded, "My Peeps get restless without a Poppy Par~teh."

As Poppy wiggled her arms in shoulders in a little while-sitting dance, Smurfette smiled fondly, "We don't want to spend the winter apart though so I want to stay here, but I need to discuss things with Papa and Willow before we finalize anything."

Giggling, Poppy happily plopped down to put her head in Smurfette's lap and snuggle up to her. Absolutely beaming when Smurfette started to stroke her hair.

"Well, if we use that reasoning, you should stay at Smurf Village," stated Hefty.

"How do you figure?" asked Branch.

"I'm needed at Smurf Village," said Hefty, "You're not needed here."

Sitting up lightning fast, Poppy gasped, frowning at Hefty as she shook her head and wagged her finger at him, "Oh no you didn't!"

"I agree with Poppy," Creek was mildly glaring at the male Smurf, only mildly because he had been trying not to be completely antagonistic towards the Smurf for Branch's sake but now he was starting to rethink that.

"Wanted is different than needed," Hefty argued.

Branch frowned, "Fine, I you want to talk about needs; lets talk about needs. The bunker is deep enough underground where you don't even feel the cold. It has-"

"We've already talked about how _great_ the bunker is," cut off Hefty. "And I've already said that I can't spend almost the whole winter underground. Plus, we'd miss Smurfy Christmas if we stayed here."

"We'd also miss all the winter holidays here if we stayed at Smurf Village," pointed out Branch.

"Trolls always have holidays all the time," said Hefty. "If we took those in account, we'd never leave here."

"I'm fine with that," said Creek.

"Me too," nodded Poppy.

"I didn't ask for your input," snapped Hefty.

"You're the one who involved them," snapped back Branch.

"You just don't want to be away from Poppy for the winter," accused Hefty, getting up to stand on his feet.

"She's my best friend," growled Branch, standing as well to keep on the same eye level, and suggested to Smurfette. "Your best friend is going to be here all winter too!"

"And I'll miss her but I have to think about Papa, Brainy, Clumsy and the rest of my family as well," shouted Hefty. "Maybe you'd understand if you still had a family."

What came next happened almost instantaneously. Branch turned gray but all he could see was red. All the anger just shot forward and he punched Hefty across the face.

A trio of gasps came from those still sitting and everything was still for a moment, allowing things to come back into focus.

As Hefty cupped his cheek, instant regret flooded Branch. He tried to step forward, feeling worse when Hefty stepped back. He swallowed thickly, trying to think of the right thing to say, "Hefty, I-"

"Don't," Hefty's voice had never sounded so cold, especially when directed at Branch. He couldn't even look at Branch at the moment. "Just don't."

"Hefty," Smurfette tried.

"Don't you start either," Hefty grumbled. He sighed, straightening but still did not look at Branch. "Maybe winter came at the right time. Maybe we need some time apart."

Feeling ice shoot through him, all Branch could do was stare, frozen.

Sighing again, Hefty moved around Branch to leave, "I'll get my things and get out of your hair."

Though Branch turned to watch Hefty, he couldn't manage to find words.

"Branch?" Creek called softly, voice concerned.

Without reaching up, Branch could feel the tears falling from his face. Air felt like it was crackling in his lungs but he managed to move forward, towards Hefty but he'd never catch up in his dazed state.

Gray hands wrung together over Branch's chest. Only two things were burning in his brain; Hefty and possibly his only chance to get him back before he lost him forever. His voice sung out, softly and choked out with a sob but clear in the silence of the day,

"T-turn around~"

Hefty stopped in his tracks, the words piercing his ears and his heart. He couldn't have possibly have just heard what he just heard, could he?

Swallowing, Branch took a deep breath and sang louder, "Every now and then I get a little bit lonely  
And you're never coming 'round."

Still on the picnic blanket, Poppy and Creek stared, blindly reaching and grabbing each other's hands. Together they watched in silent awe and heart ache for their friend.

"Turnaround," Branch sang as loudly as he could while tears were still running down his face, "Every now and then I get a little bit tired  
Of listening to the sound of my tears."

Finally turning, Hefty's eyes were wide but went wider at the sight of Branch. His beloved Troll was gray and crying but still singing for him and every bit of him ached along with his heart.

"Turnaround, every now and then I get a little bit nervous  
That the best of all the years have gone by," Branch sang on, still wringing his hands,  
"Turnaround, every now and then I get a little bit terrified  
And then I see the look in your eyes.

Turnaround bright eyes, but every now and then I fall apart  
Turnaround bright eyes, every now and then I fall apart."

Taking a deep breath, Branch managed to let go of his hands so one could reach towards Hefty, "And I need you now tonight  
And I need you more than ever  
And if you only hold me tight  
We'll be holding on forever  
And we'll only be making it right  
'Cause we'll never be wrong together  
We can take it to the end of the line  
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (all of the time)  
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark  
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks  
I really need you tonight  
Forever's gonna start tonight  
Forever's gonna start tonight~"

Still Hefty stood there, not moving, just staring. Maybe Branch had went too far? Maybe this really was the end.

Lowering his hand, Branch's gaze fell to the ground and he started to cry harder but the words kept coming out of him, "Once upon a time I was falling in love  
But now I'm only falling apart  
And there's nothing I can do  
A total eclipse of the heart  
Once upon a time there was light in my life  
But now there's only love in the dark  
Nothing I can say  
A total eclipse of the heart…"

A sob choked out of him, and Branch couldn't sing anymore. He barely felt like he could breath knowing that he had lost Hefty.

"Branch?" Hefty's voice called softly.

Sniffling, Branch looked up, shocked to see Hefty right in front of him. He wanted to reach out and hug him but didn't know if he could.

"I-I'm sorry," Branch choked out. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I'll go to Smurf Village. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't leave. Please don't stop loving me."

Eyes going impossibly wider, Hefty all but bolted away the last bit of distance between them and gathered Branch in his arms, holding him tightly. "I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I didn't mean, I never meant to- I'm never going to stop loving you Branch, whether you come to Smurf Village or not! I'm sorry I ever made you feel that way. Please don't cry Siren; I love you. I love you with all of my heart!"

Despite Hefty's words, all Branch could do was cling to him and cry, never feeling more relieved about anything before in his life. He never knew that his heart could hurt so much but feel so full at the same time in such a sweet agony.

When Branch calmed down, and after the two kissed, Creek cleared his throat, "May I make a suggestion?"

"Creek?" Poppy made her warning clear with her voice.

"No, no, none of that," Creek smiled and gently tapped her nose, "You're all going to like it, I swear."

For the rest of the fall, with Smurfs working from one end and Trolls working on the other, the two villages finished Creek's ideal just before the first snow fall. Underground, using Branch's bunker making expertise, they made a tunnel going between the Troll Tree and Smurf Village.

Most of the work was just digging it out while being wary of predators and the predatory Gargamel. After that Branch used his skills to make the tunnel hard so it wouldn't collapse or be intruded upon by digging animals. Not even a Bergan with a shovel could cut through without quite a bit of effort. But, to be safe, escape side tunnels were scattered throughout the main tunnel's path.

Brainy even had ideas on how to make the trek faster, using Hefty's use of a crossbow to launch them forward as inspiration. It would, however, have to wait until spring which at least have Brainy plenty to plan and experiment on a smaller scale.

In the end the tunnel made travel between the two villages during winter possible. Papa talked of using it year-round since it was safer as well.

"Can't believe I actually have to thank Creek for this," Hefty grumbled, idly stroking Branch's hair as they laid in bed together.

"Don't," Branch yawned. "He's still preening over Poppy and Smurfette fawning over the whole thing."

"Good point," Hefty smiled, pausing to kiss Branch's temple. "I love you Siren."

"I love you too, Hero," Branch snuggled closer to Hefty's warmth, listening to his heartbeat. "Happy whatever Troll holiday it is because who can keep track?"

Hefty laughed and it was music to Branch's ears.


End file.
